Carton



May 1944.

-E. A. THROCKMORTONI 2,349,020

CARTON Filed Aug. l5, l94l- 2 Sheets-Sheet l (flip g Patented May 16,1944 a ate oAR'roN Edgcrton A. Throckmorton, Dundee, .lll, assignor toContainer Corporation of America, Chicago, EL, a corporation of DelawareApplication August 15, 1941, Serial No. M26385 (oi. 'zza-ss) 5 Claims.

This invention pertains to cartons or packages to be composed ofpaperboard, fiberboard, or other materials of a similar nature and, moreparticularly, to cartons peculiarly adapted to the packaging of bottlesand bottled goods for shipment, display and other purposes, thefundamental features of the invention being adaptable, however, to otheruses and purposes as will be apparent to those working in the containerarts.

The packaging of bottles, especially bottles containing expensive ordangerous fluids, presents many problems. Among the problems are thoseencountered in insuring against accidental displacement of the bottlefrom the package, rupture of the package during handling or transporrtation, breakage of the bottle within the package, tampering with orpilferage of the bottle or contents without leaving obvious signs, andease and economy of manufacture, storage and shipment. There is also thematter of customer satisfaction and appeal to be considered from boththe standpoint of the one who packages the bottled commodity and theultimate consumer who purchases the packaged goods.

Accordingly it is a primary object of the invention to provide a cartonfor the packaging of bottles and bottled goods, so constructed andarranged that while it is relatively inexpensive in construction andeconomical of material it will be strong and effective for its variouspurposes.

Another equally important objective is to provide a carton which, whilepermitting quick and easy loading or filling with the bottle or otheritem which it is to carry, will surely and safely retain the bottleagainst injury or loss andwill substantially eliminate undetectablepilferage or tampering, whether during shipment, storage or otherwise.In this connection it should be mentioned that one of the major featuresof the invention lies in a simple but unique arrangement whereby thepackaged bottle or other item is prevented from making material.shifting movements within the carton, the bottle or the like being heldrelatively motionless therein from the time it is packaged therein untilreleased or removed therefrom.

Still another object is to provide a package or carton of the charactermentioned so constructed and arranged that it may be partiallyconstructed at the place of manufacture and shipped in such condition,usually in knocked-down form, to the place at which the cartons are tobe filled with the bottles or other items to be packaged therein, thecarton preferably also being designed to permit close nesting of aplurality of filled packages for convenience and economy of shipment.

Many other objects, advantages and uses of the invention and its severalfeatures will be fully understood after reading the followingdescription and the claims and on examination of the accompanyingdrawings, in which:

Figure l is a view of the carton blank representing what is at present apreferred form;

Figure 2' is a view of what may be termed a diaphragm blank to be usedas an end closure for one end of the carton, the blank illustrated beingthat which is at present preferred;

Figure 3 is a View similar to that of Figure 2 of a slightly differenttype of diaphragm blank or end closure member;

Figure 4 is a longitudinal section througha carton formed from theblanks of Figures 1 and 2, the view illustrating a bottle disposed inthe carton;

Figure 5'is an enlarged detail sectional view of a fragment of the topend of the carton and its closure of a preferred construction; and

Figures 6 and 7 show carton top fragments in illustration of other typesof modifications of construction.

The carton chosen for exemplification of the invention is ofparallelepiped shape, that is, is has six sides of which the oppositesides are parallel and, in this particular instance, the four ides areof equal dimensions. One end, the bottom end, is to be completely andrelatively permanently closed while the top end is open except for aninternal diaphragm type closure which not only serves as a closuredifiicult to remove without damage or detection but also as a means tosecure the bottle or other packaged item against movementslongitudinally of the carton, the transverse dimensions of the cartonpreferably being such as to preclude lateral movements of the cartoncontents. The diaphragm or closure member is firmly and securely held inplace within the carton end by a very simple and inexpensive yeteffective means, and the neck and top of the bottle carried by thecarton may project upward through the diaphragm closure and may bereadily inspected.

Preferably a fairly stiff paperboard or fiberboard is cut into the shapeshown in Figure 1 with suitable dimensions for the bottle or otherarticle to be carried in the final carton, the blank also being scoredalong predetermined fold lines and otherwise, as will be described. Theblank shown comprises four side wall panels 2, 3, 4 and 5 of equalcorresponding dimensions diiierentiated from one another and from asecuring or sealing strip 6 by parallel score lines 1, 8, 9 and II. Thewidth, i. e., the narrow dimension, of each of the side wall panelspreferably is just that of or only very slightly greater than thegreatest diameter of the bottle or other object to be packaged while thelength of each side wall panel is, preferably, equal to or slightlygreater than the height of the bottle including its neck and cap. Thesecuring strip 6 is relatively narrow and is intended to be lapped onthe inside of the carton against and secured by adhesive to the innerface of panel 2 when the carton is formed from the blank.

At the bottom ends of the side panels and differentiated therefrom by ascore line l2 are end flaps l3 each of which may be square and separatedfrom the adjacent flap or flaps by slits or kerfs :4. Since these flapsare intended to be folded over one another in any preferred order(superimposed) and secured together in such position by adhesive, it maybe desirable to have the second of slightly greater length than thefirst one infolded, the third of slightly greater length than thesecond, and the fourth or last infolded of slightly greater length thanthe third, in order to compensate for the increased lap, thereby tobring the outer free edges in register with the side walls. However, theflaps l3 may be all of the same length, as shown, or may be of any othersuitable configuration. At the other or top end of the blank andattached one to each side panel as a continuation thereof, are what maybe termed lock flaps l5 between which and the side wall panels is ascore line I6 to permit easy infolding of the lock flaps which are tolie against and to be adhesively secured to the inner faces of top endor marginal portions of the side wall panels. The lock flaps l5 arewholly separated from one another along their side margins and, exceptfor the lock flap which lies at the opposite side of the blank from thestrip 6 and which is notched as at I! at its outer end to, conform tothe corresponding end of strip 6 as will become clearer hereinafter,have those side margins bevelled, as shown at 18 in Figure l, in thepreferred constructionv Adjacent and parallel to the top edges (scoreline Id) of the side wall panels but spaced downward therefrom adistance slightly less than the distance from the score Hi to the outeredges IQ of the lock flaps i5 is a line score 2| which is so formed asto provide a perimetrically extending channel Zia in the outside surfaceof the final carton and, correspondingly, a rib, ridge or projection Zlbon the interior surface of the carton. This ridge projection is shown ina prominent and somewhat exaggerated manner in Figure 5. the actualprojection of the top of the ridge above the plane of the interior ofeach side wall panel surface being, preferably, about half the thicknessof the material of the wall although it may be somewhat greater or lessand still perform its function. When the lock flaps l5 are folded inwardand secured by adhesive or otherwise against the inner top marginalparts of the side walls, the adhesive is so applied, preferably, as tosecure the flaps to the side walls over substantially the entire area ofeach flap down to and including the crest of the ridge or projection Zlbbut is omitted from that portion of each flap which extends below theridge Zlb. In other words the lower edge portions of the flaps l5 areunsecured to the adjacent surfaces of the side walls below the rib 211)and therefore are spaced inwardly (of the carton) from such adjacentside wall panel surfaces by a distance substantially equal to the riseof the rib or projeciton 21b, thereby to provide an abutment orshoulder.

It will, ordinarily, be found desirable first to fold down and securethe flaps [5 to their respective side wall panels, thereafter foldingthe side panels into carton shape and securing the strip 6 to the insidesurface of panel 2 with the bevelled edge of the top end of strip 6substantially abutting and conforming to bevelled edge IT. Forconservation of space in shipment of unfilled cartons, the cartons maybe knocked down by flattening them to bring adjacent side panels, suchas 2 and 3, and 4 and 5, in face to face relationship, the cartons to beset up and bottom flaps l3 folded in and secured in overlapping relationto one another at the place of use. When the cartons have been set upthey are ready to be filled with the items (bottles, for instance) forwhich the cartons were designed, and after being filled they are readyto be closed by the means and in a manner now to be related.

Cut from fiberboard, paperboard or the like but preferably from the sameor similarmaterial to that of which the carton body is composed, are thediaphragm-like closure elements or members shown in Figures 2 and 3, theformer illustrating the form preferred for use with the carton bodyabove described. The two illustrated closure elements are identical inconstruction wtih one exception which will be pointed out. Eachcomprises a center panel 22 of a shape (in this instance, square) anddimensions, in the plane of the panel, designed fairly snugly to fit themaximum inside transverse dimensions of the carton body below the edgesl9 of the inturned flaps I5, and, preferably, two pairs of opposiitelydisposed flanges or extensions 23, 24, line scorings 25 defining thesides of the center panel and permitting each flange to be swung at anangle to the center panel. The scoring preferably is so done as toproduce ribs or ridges projecting above the plane or surface of thematerial on one side of the closure member, the resultant product, afterfolding or swinging the flanges at an angle to the center panel,appearing as illustrated in Figure 5. The center panel is also providedwith a central aperture 26 (circular in this instance) of dimensionssuincient to permit the projection of a portion of a bottle neck therethrough and, while all of the flanges are trimmed with a slight bevelalong edges 21. that one of the flanges (the right hand flange 23 ofFigure 2) which is to overly the inside surface of panel 2 and strip 6attached thereto, is trimmed at its edge 28 to a greater bevel so as topermit such end of its outer edge 29 to clear the strip 6 as bestillustrated in Figure 4.

The width of each of flanges 23, 24 preferably is somewhat greater thanthe perpendicular distance between a plane containing the end edge orabutment surfaces IQ of the flaps l5 and a plane parallel thereto andpassing through the neck somewhat above the juncture of the neck withthe body of the bottle to be disposed in the carton when the bottle isfirmly seated at its bottom upon the carton bottom closure flaps l3. Ithas also been found desirable so to form the margin of the panel 22about the aperture 26 as to provide a circumferentially extending andupwardly directed lip 26a thereby snugly to engage the bottle neck overa little greater area than would be possible with the mere edgethickness of the panel material. The aperture 26 and lip 260. will bemodified, of course, to adapt the closure to bottle necks of variousconfigurations and characters as will be understood. This arrangementand dimensioning of the center panel 22 and flanges 23, 24, is designedfor the purpose of placing the center panel under tension thereby totend to urge the bottle toward and to hold it against the bottom of thecarton at all times as will be clearer as this description proceeds.

Assuming that the carton body has been formed and set up into shape, asin Figure 4, from the blank of Figure 1, the next step is to load orinsert the bottle B which it was designed to receive. If the carton bodyhas been well made the side panels 2, 3, 4 and 5 will be snugly tangentto the bottle sides (if the bottle is cylindrical as shown), or willotherwise snugly fit the bottle sides, when the bottom of the bottlerests upon the bottom of the carton. The next step is to insert a topclosure or diaphragm element. This is done, preferably, by folding orswinging the flanges 23 and 24 to substantially right angular positionswith respect to the center panel, with the folding in such direction asto place the score ribs or ridges 25a on the outside of each fold corneras illustrated in Figures 4 and 5 and to bring the bevelled edge 28 intoa position where it may register with the corresponding edge of strip 6.Of course all of the flanges are folded to extend in the same generaldirection but it is desirable that they not be folded so. far asmaterially to impair the natural resilience of the material and thetendency of the flanges to return (if left alone) to positions in theplane of the center panel 22. In the folded or cupped position of theflanges 23, 24, the top closure member is pushed into the open top ofthe carton much after the manner of a close fitting piston into acylinder with the bottle neck disposed through the aperture 26. Duringthe first part of this movement and until the center panel 22 and theribs or ridges between the edges of panel 22 and the flanges 22, 23 havepassed inward and downward from the carton body top beyond the flap endsI9, there may be some substantial resistance to such movement butthereafter the resistance will decrease as will be understood. Theinward and downward movement of the top closure member is continueduntil the outer free edges 29 pass the edges IQ of the infolded flaps 5at which time owing to the natural or inherent resilience of the flanges23, 24 they will snap or move outwardly toward the side wall panels 2,3, 4 and 5 in which positions they will tend to remain, except, however,for such up ward movement as may be imparted to them by the tendency ofthe center panel 22 to return to a flat form from a convexly (lookingdown from the top) bowed condition due to engagement of marginalportions 26a thereof about the opening 26 with the neck portion of thebottle just before the edges 29 have been pushed to positions to passthe edges l9. In normal operation the flanges tend to spring back towardthe top of the carton but being restrained by the abutment of edges 29against the edges US, the result is that the panel 22 remains somewhatbowed and maintains a tension on the flanges 23, 24 urging them tightlyand firmly in abutment against the side panels 2, 3, 4 and 5 and theedges I9 of flaps l5, at the same time reacting against the bottlethrough its neck to urge and hold the bottle firmly but resilientlyagainst the carton bottom. In some instances the edges 29 of flanges 23,24 may even ride in behind the edges 99 and between the lower marginalportions of flaps l5 and the adjacent side panels which are spacedtherefrom, the adhesion between the flaps l5 and the ribs Zlb of thescores 2| as well as the ribs themselves serving to limit the upwardmovement of the top closure by engagement of the edges 29, the whilepressing the bottle against the carton bottom.

The arrangement described effectively secures the bottle B againstlateral and longitudinal movements within the carton body and at thesame time is quite simple and inexpensive to manufacture. It becomesvery difficult to remove the bottle without detectable injury to ormarking on the carton or bottle and where the bottle top is sealed insuch manner as to conceal the seal below the top closure or diaphragm,the contents of the bottle may not be removed or tampered with withoutleaving tell-tale indications. Safety against breakage of the bottle dueto motion of the bottle within the carton is achieved and a neat andattractive package is provided, the character of the contents also beingvisible at the partially open top.

The modified top construction shown in Figure 6 differs from that of thepreferred form of Figures 1, 2, l and 5 only in the provision of anextra line score 3| parallel to a score 32 which corresponds to thescore 2!. The score 2! tends to strengthen the side wall panels at theirtop ends and. is also designed to reduce the chances of accidentaloutward displacement of the diaphragm top closure. In the modified formof Figure '7 a wide abutment to engage the top end edges of a closure toprevent its displacement and to hold the center panel of the closureunder tension as above described, is provided by making each of theinfolding flaps lfia of sufficiently greater length than a flap l5 as topermit a marginal strip 151) to be folded upwardly and secured betweeneach flap I 5a and a side Wall panel, the strips l5b preferably beingpartially severed from flaps 15a, for instance, by a cut score, so thatthe adjacent severed faces will provide a relatively broad square orupwardly and outwardly inclined shoulder I against which the upper edgeof a flange of a closure element may abut.

The invention has been disclosed in a preferred embodiment and in asquare section parallelepiped type of carton body but, as will beapparent, the essential features of the invention may be applied tocylindrical or other shapes and types of carton body with which topclosure elements of corresponding shape and types would be used. Variousother adaptations as well as many modiflcations may be devised andarranged following the teachings hereof and it is therefore desired thatthe scope of this patent be circumscribed only by the spirit of theinvention and the purview of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A carton composed of foldable sheet material of the characterdescribed for bottles and the like comprising, a parallelepiped tubularbody adapted to receive a bottle with the top of the bottle at one endand the bottom of the bottle at the other end of the carton body, thebottle top end of the carton having strips of material extending alongand overlying marginal edge portions of the inside faces of one pair ofopposite side walls, said strips being secured to said marginal edgeportions with their lower edges providing abutments facing toward thebottle bottom end of the body, said marginal edge portions of said pairof opposite side walls having score lines therein directed transverselyof the side walls and providing projections internal of the carton endbeneath said strips, a closure panel adapted to be disposed transverselyof said body between said abutments and the bottle bottom end of thebody, and flanges carried by said panel at an angle thereto with thefree edges of the flanges directed toward said bottle top end of thebody and held by said abutments.

2. A tubular carton composed of material such as fiberboard and the likeand adapted to receive a bottle with the bottom of the bottle directedtoward one end of the tube and the bottle top directed toward the otherend of the tube, integral portions of the carton at the top end thereofbeing inturned and secured against marginal parts of the inner face ofthe tube at such and with the terminal edges of said integral portionsforming abutments facing toward the bottom end of the carton, at leastone of said abutments lying substantially opposite to another of theabutments, a score line formed in the tube wall beneath each of saidopposite abutment forming inturned portions and projecting inward fromthe inner face of the tube, said score line extending adjacent to saidterminal edges of said opposite inturned portions, a closure memberhaving a panel forming a diaphragm extending across the tube betweensaid abutments and the bottom end of the tube and closely fittingagainst the interior surface of the tube substantially perimetrically ofthe latter, and flanges integrally connected with the outer edges ofsaid panel and extending at an angle thereto toward said top end andadapted to be engaged along their top end directed edges in abuttingrelationship with said abutments.

3. A tubular carton composed of material such as fiberboard and the likeand adapted to receive a bottle with the bottom of the bottle directedtoward one end of the tube and the bottle top directed toward the otherend of the tube, a score line extending about said tube adjacent to thetop end thereof and creating a ridge projecting above the normal planeof the material face on the inside of the tube, integral portions of thecarton at the top end thereof being inturned and secured againstmarginal parts of the inner face of the tube at such end and overlyingsaid score line ridge with the terminal edges of said integral portionsforming abutments facing toward the bottom end of the carton, at leastone of said abutments lying substantially opposite to another of theabutments, a closure member having a panel forming a diaphragm extendingacross the tube between said abutments and the bottom end of the tubeand closely fitting against the interior surface of ths tubesubstantially perimetrically of the latter, and flanges integrallyconnected with the outer edges of said panel and extending at an anglethereto toward said top end and adapted to be engaged along their topend directed edges in abutting relationship with said abutments.

4. An improved package comprising a carton formed of foldable sheetmaterial and a bottle or the like disposed therein having a neckportion, said carton comprising four side wall panels, bottom closuremeans supporting said bottle, locking flaps integrally joined to theupper edges of said panels, said locking flaps being folded down andsecured against the inner surfaces of the upper portion of said sidewall panels, whereby the free edges thereof form a downwardly facingabutment, and a separate top closure member including a panel havingsubstantially the same dimensions as the cross-section of said cartonfitting closely around said neck portion, said top closure panel havingat least two flaps on opposite sides thereof folded upwardly to form anupwardly facing abutment in contact with said downwardly facingabutment, all of said flaps being of such width that said top closurepanel exerts a downward force on said bottle and said bottom closuremeans.

5. An improved package comprising a tubular carton formed of foldablesheet material such as fiberboard or the like, a bottle therein having aneck portion, and a separate top closure member, said carton having abottom closure supporting said bottle by its bottom, substantiallyopposite integral parts of said carton at the top end thereof beinginturned and secured against the adjacent inner surface thereof with theterminal edge portions of said integral parts directed toward the bottomend of said carton, said separate closure member having a panel forminga diaphragm ex tending transversely of said carton within the verticallimits of said neck portion, said panel having an aperture through whichsaid neck portion extends, said aperture being of lesser dimensions thanthe maximum transverse dimensions of said neck portion whereby said neckportion engages said panel, and said panel having means connectedtherewith at a place laterally spaced from said aperture and held bysaid terminal edge portions against upward displacement in said cartonfor exerting a downwardly directed resilient stress upon said panel.

EDGERTON A. THROCKMORTON.

